Fractured Faith by Lina Abujamra

                                                                      

Many have been disillusioned with the church and have experienced hurt from other Christians or ministry leaders. Lina Abujamra shares openly and honestly with her deep disappointment and disillusionment with the church and the seeming silence of God throughout her pain.  As the author works through her pain and the fracturing of her faith, she shares biblical truth as she finds her way back to God.

In the chapters of the book, topics addressed include: “Where is God in My Pain”; “Is This How Christians are Supposed to Act”; “Is God Really Fair”; and “Is it Supposed to Be This Hard,” to name a few. At the end of each chapter, there questions for the reader to answer to reflect on the information presented.    

One of the quotes I really appreciated in this book is the statement, “The biggest mistake we make in Christianity is to make ourselves the center of our story.” I think this is a relevant and important book for every Christian to read and think about in finding your way back to God when Christianity doesn’t live up to your expectations.

I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.  

Count It All Joy by John M. Perkins

John Perkins, who has suffered greatly during his 92 years, is well qualified to write a book on finding joy in suffering. Even though suffering is painful, it can also be a great teaching tool to draw a person closer to the Lord. Joy can be found in the midst of the pain.

Using Scripture to guide him, the author shares his personal story and the lessons he learned. The book is organized in three parts: When Suffering Chooses You, When You Choose Suffering, and Joy Comes in the Morning. In the back of the book there are questions for each of the nine chapters which would aid in personal or group study to delve deeper into the topics covered in the book. I highly recommend this important book written by a civil rights leader and a committed Christian community development leader.

I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for this honest review.